Veteran heavyweight Derek Chisora is backing Moses Itauma to defeat Filip Hrgovic in their upcoming bout on August 29. Chisora believes the 21-year-old will find a way to win, pointing to Hrgovic’s susceptibility to cuts as a critical vulnerability.
The fight, which headlines a card at London’s O2 Arena, represents a considerable step up in competition for Itauma. The heavyweight prospect holds number one rankings with the WBO and WBA and is coming off a fifth-round finish of Jermaine Franklin in March. Hrgovic, a consensus top-10 contender, presents a much sterner test, with his only professional loss coming via a stoppage on cuts against Daniel Dubois in June 2024.
Chisora believes that history of facial damage will be a key factor in the contest. Outlining his reasoning for picking the younger fighter, he said: “He’ll dig deep and beat him”. Chisora pointed to how Hrgovic gets cut and sometimes feels sorry for himself when he gets hit. The Croatian has suffered cuts in recent victories over Joe Joyce and David Adeleye, a weakness Itauma will likely target.
Reaffirming his belief in the rising star, Chisora concluded that Itauma has the mentality required for the occasion and will come through the fight.
Victory for Itauma would have significant implications for his career trajectory. The IBF has already ordered a vacant title fight between him and another seasoned contender, Frank Sanchez. A win against Hrgovic would almost certainly clear the path for that world title opportunity, moving him from prospect to a legitimate championship contender. Chisora also noted a potential future clash with current WBO champion Daniel Dubois, suggesting the two could lead the next generation of British heavyweights.
